A Different Way of Seeing Things
by BluWine
Summary: Legolas has changed for the worse when he comes back to Mirkwood from the War of the Ring and only Luin-Gil, an unusual elf, can make him see things in a different light.
1. Return of the Prince

Introduction::

I found Silmarillion at the bookstore today and since I had no money when I got there I couldn't buy it. *damn* I skimmed through the appendices though and found a small glossary of Elven words. I found the word for 'blue' which is Luin and the word for star which is 'gil'. I put the two together and you get Luin-gil., 'blue star' *yea.. grammatically incorrect but I'm not fluent!* and then plot bunnies galore popped up. *laughs* Okay warning, I have absolutely the worst skills in Elven languages. I'm not even sure if Luin and Gil are from the same Elvish branch. Imagine my horror when reviewers start emailing me telling me that one word is Sindarin and the other Quenya. Ahhhh well.. I shall ignore you if that is the case because I'm just winging this. 

Later that week... AHHH!!! I just realized that there's a star called Luinil meaning "blue star" AHHH!! Blah... I like my name. I'm keeping it! Luinil will just have to play a part in the story!!

Title: Different Way of Seeing Things

Author: BluWine *dats me*

Rating: I'll step this up and turn this to an R. 

Comments and synopsis:

Luin-gil is a she-elf of Mirkwood. She's not exactly the typical kind of elf though. *Read on to find out how different* And there's Legolas the crown prince of Mirkwood. After returning from the War of the Ring, he has seemed to clam up into an arrogant superficial elf, forgetting everything he's learned in his adventures.. until Luin-gil comes to re-teach him a thing or two about what's real and important...

Timeframe: After the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I'm not entirely sure of what happens to the characters after the War given that I'm only a third finished with the Return of the King but everything from the end of the war is erased. After defeating Sauron and Mordor, Legolas returns to the Woodland Realms... And I forget the family structure Legolas has so I'm making that up as well.

//I DON'T own Legolas or any LotR character or plot.//

Chapter one: Return of The Prince

Gimli and Legolas rode on through the darkened forest of Mirkwood. Legolas was ecstatic to finally see his home after such a prolonged period of time. He had walked through the paths with Gimli following and noticed that the darkness seemed to be ebbing away with every moment. Gimli was noticing this as well.

"The forest isn't as gloomy as my father had described it," Gimli commented, his breath coming in gasps as he climbed over dead protruding roots.

"Gloin had passed through these woods at an unfortunate time, mellonaminmy friend," Legolas replied, smiling. "It was when the Shadow was alive and haunting this place. As you can see, my people have come worked hard to rid it of darkness."

"And a wonderful job you've done..." Gimli swore under his breath as another jutting root caused him to trip and fall. "How much longer till we get out of this place?"

"Just a quarter of an hour maybe until you start seeing the light from the other side," Legolas laughed while helping his friend up.  "Then I'll finally see home..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Luin-gil!" King Thranduil shouted through the chambers. He hurried himself through the halls trying to find his servant but seemed to have trouble spotting her. "Luin-gil Elsconth, Mankin naa lle?!" {Where are you?} Finally, the she-elf emerged from one of the rooms, holding a basket of laundry.

"uma, harnamin?" she answered bowing her head in respect. {Yes, my king?}

"Mankin nae lle, hin?" Thranduil roared. {Where have you been, child?}

"I have been changing the sheets of the Royal chambers, harnamin," she answered showing the basket. "Was there anything you needed?"

"Uma! My oldest son is to be arriving any moment and his rooms STILL looks like an orc lives there! Now hurry up and clean it so that my son has a decent place to rest when he appears!" Thranduil ordered. He grasped Luin-gil's free arm and dragged her to Legolas' room. He roughly threw her in and slammed the door behind her.

Luin-gil dropped her basket and examined her arm, seeing the bruises appearing on her skin. She winced at the sight and just sighed. She knew that Thranduil really wasn't this rough a master and that the coming of his son was just agitating him but she was downright exhausted. Being overworked for the last week was taking its toll on her and she had the bruises (she winced at her arm again) to show for it.

She looked about the room and started to clean up wondering when the Prince would be arriving. Luin-gil had only begun working at the Palace a year before and she hadn't had the oppurtunity to meet the Prince. She knew he was older that she was by about four hundred years. Not much really, by Elvish terms, but she just wondered who he was. She looked out the window and saw two creatures coming in from the forest. One was an elf with long blonde hair. The other was a dwarf.

"The prince has arrived..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Legolas!!" Thranduil called from his post by the gates of the castle. 

"Atar!" Legolas' eyes lit up in delight. With a sudden burst of happiness, he ran into his father's arms. "Atar! It has been much too long."

"Legolas, utinuamin. Amin naa valina cael lle varna yallume eska," Thranduil greeted. {Legolas, my son. I am happy to finally have you home.} He released his son from his embrace and noticed the dwarf. At first, the king's eyes did a double take, not quite realizing that his son made such acquaintances.

"Atar, this is Gimli..." 

"... son of Gloin of the Lonely Mountain," Gimli interrupted regaining the dignity he had lost during the hike.

"Gloin..." Thranduil murmured. "I remember that dwarf. Had a run in some fifty years ago..."

"yes you did," Gimli said indignantly.

"Yes," Thranduil nodded. Legolas stood aside, uncomfortably, not knowing whether his new friend would be accepted into his household but his worry was in vain. "Well, then, I guess I should counter the way I have treated your kin, Gimli, son of Gloin and welcome you into my household until you are rested enough to travel to your homeland." Legolas grinned happily and watched as his father put a hand on Gimli's shoulder to lead him into the house. Thranduil stopped at the door and looked up.

"What is it, father?" Legolas asked looking up as well, then heard his father's voice.

"Luin-gil! Luin-gil, I know you can hear me!" Thranduil called.

"Uma, my king!" A different looking she-elf appeared at Legolas' balcony leaning over the railing to see her caller. "I can hear you!"

"We have a guest! Come serve us at my private dining hall!" 

"Uma, harnamin!" The girl disappeared into the curtains and Legolas followed his father into the private dining hall with Gimli in tow.

(Okay this is just a beginning. I'll explain everything soon enough. Don't worry. AND REVIEW PLEASE! BE NICE! It's my first LORT fic.)


	2. The Free Maiden and Gem Prince

//And// As usual THANKS to reviewers. Input is always appreciated.  
  
To the signed review...(I'm offline on my laptop so I can't go and find out the name SORRY) I'll do my best not to Mary-Sue this... SERIOUSLY... Realistic charater coming right up! *laughs*  
  
Chapter 2: 'Free Maiden' and 'Gem Prince'  
  
"Tula... Come, mellon.... utinu. Legolas, your seler' ar' toror' are waiting for you in the hall as well." Thranduil led them through the castle corridors and into the a dining room where two other elves sat across each other waiting imaptiently for the new arrivals. As soon as Legolas stepped in after his father and Gimli, he grinned in delight, recognizing his older sister and younger brother.  
  
"Leithwen! Leuthil!"  
  
"Legolas! You're home!" Gimli smiled seeing the brothers and sister embracing after such a prolonged separation.  
  
Legolas' siblings were spitting images of each other. They all held a proud head of long blond hair and clear blue eyes. Leuthil, short for Leuthilalren, gem prince, was a bit shorter for being a millenia younger than the oldest, Leithwen, a she-elf of tall and athletic build. Leithwen's hair fell in curls to midback, though.  
  
"I was beginning to think you'd stay away from our Realm and make a living as a hero," Leithwen teased. Her brother grinned at her but she saw a flash of a frown on Legolas' face. 'Something's different... Well, of course, there's something different. He just came home after seeing horrible things I wouldn't even be able to imagine.' Leithwen put an arm around Legolas and gave him a comforting smile. "I'm glad you're home."  
  
"As am I, brother. Leithwen, here, isn't much of an outdoors elf, though she's a Woodland princess... I need a REAL Woodland Elf to assist me in my rounds at the forest. Not one who'll squeal at the slightest scare," Leuthil grinned.  
  
"Elves come with different strengths, Leuthilalren," Leithwen rolled her eyes. "I apologize that having more of an intellectual strength has put a crimp on your activities."  
  
"Apology accepted," Leuthil replied, cheekily.  
  
"The apology was made in sarcasm!" The two continued their skirmish with each other while Legolas just looked on, then felt a slight tug on his leg.  
  
"Lovely pair. Must be an adventure in itself to have to be born between the two," Gimli smiled.  
  
"It most definitely is..." Legolas looked back up to his siblings. He went to them and put a hand on both their arms quieting their insults. "I missed you both..." Leuthil and Leithwen looked at their brother strangely.  
  
"And we you, Legolas." Leuthil looked up in admiration at his older brother. They were sharing a quiet moment but Thranduil but was getting hungry.  
  
"Yes, yes, yes. We all did. But may we eat now?" the old man complained. He sat at the head of the table. Leithwen and Leuthil turned without noticing Gimli and the dwarf coughed to bring that little detail into Legolas' attention.  
  
"Oh... yes! I almost forgot," Legolas cried out. His siblings looked at where Legolas' hand lay and saw the aged dwarf. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin of the Lonely Mountain. He was one of the Nine Walkers and a dear friend." Legolas was again afraid that his brother and sister wouldn't grow accustomed to making such a friend but they welcomed him with open arms.  
  
"Gimli, correct?" Leithwen asked, making sure her prnounciation was correct.  
  
"yes, princess," Gimli nodded.  
  
"Please, call me Leithwen," she laughed. "Any friend of my brothers is met with the same privileges as they do so formalities are no needed." Gimli smiled his thanks.  
  
"The same goes for me, mellon," Leuthil added. "I am Leuthil, Legolas' younger brother. Come, you must sit next to me and tell me of your adventures with my brother and recount all the times you've had to save him from some smelly orc."  
  
"Hey!" Legolas said, indignantly. They all just laughed and sat at the round table.  
  
// There go! My version of Legolas' family. The mother's whereabouts will be revealed. Don't worry! Just introducing mostly the brother and sister I've made for dear Legolas and my MAIN OC will come into play. 


	3. Judgment

AN// Yay!! I'm updating!! Right now any updates are a miracle because school exists to keep me away from any writing... HA! Like they can stop me from writing? Never!!  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
The round table sat the four elves and one dwarf comfortably. The order went as Leithwen, Legolas, Thranduil, Leuthil, and lastly, Gimli, who sat with discomfort on a high chair. Their conversations began amongst themselves until Thranduil shouted again.  
  
"Luin-gil! Tula Sinome! (come here) Manke naa lye vasa? (where is our food?)" Thranduil called. A girl with long dark hair, dark eyes and tanned skin came through a door, holding three trays off food, one on each hand and another balanced on her head.  
  
"Luin-gil!" Leithwen cried out, jumping to her feet to help the elf. "Why are you working alone?" She took the balanced tray and set it on the table. Luin-gil just sighed.  
  
"Your father has given the servants the day off in honor of the prince's return. Amin hiraetha, harunamin. It wasn't easy to cook such a large meal in so short a time," she apologized. (I'm sorry.) She slightly bowed to the Elvenking and looked up to Legolas, who looked at her curiously.  
  
"Why weren't you given a holiday as well?" Legolas asked. She looked at him, blankly and answered.  
  
"Amin naa Luin-gil. I was given the task to care for the castle while you've arrived. Is there anything you might need, heru en amin?" (my lord {formal}) she asked, bowing her head as well to him. Legolas shook his head and as he did, he saw a glazed look on his younger brother's eyes.  
  
"No, thank you," Legolas answered. Luin-gil nodded and proceeded to distribute the food. Leithwen had turned cold at her father, giving him a glare. Legolas couldn't help but feel that there was something important he was missing but the smell of food took his mind away from any substantial thoughts.  
  
"Come sit and join us, Luin," Leithwen invited.  
  
"I'm not sure if I should... I have some other matters to attend to with the arrival of the prince and his guest." She looked blushingly under everyone's gaze.  
  
"Nonsense. Have a decent meal with us, Luin-gil," Leithwen retorted. Luin- gil looked up at her king who looked uncomfortable with the invitation but truth be told she was hungry and cooking had zapped her of energy.  
  
"Just a quick bite," she murmured. Leithwen grinned and motioned for the girl to sit down next to her. Gimli seemed to be taken by the new she-elf, and smiled at her admiringly.  
  
"Luin-gil? You are named for the star?" Gimli asked as the rest dug into the food.  
  
"Yes... I was born on a night that Luinil had disappeared from the skies. I was named in honor for the star that had disappeared. It was a stranger's idea. I believe his name was Mithrandir but I have never had the honor of meeting him." Legolas and Gimli looked at each other.  
  
"Mithrandir? A wizard?" Gimli prodded.  
  
"Yes... I believe so." Her dark eyes looked at them, curiously. "Do you know him?"  
  
"Yes, actually. He was one of the Nine Walkers." Legolas looked at the girl thoughfully. Seldom had Gandalf intervened on any life without some pretense to hold him to it. In fact, NEVER has Gandalf done anything without a point. He wondered what was it about this strange looking girl that caused Gandalf to name her Luin-gil.  
  
"You look like a young elf," Gimli said changing the subject. "How did you come to work at the House of Mirkwood?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You are a beautiful creature that should be spending her time on such merry-making excursions of you elves. Why do you spend your time serving the palace?" With the first comment, everyone had changed dispositions. Leithwen and Leuthil had satisfied grins on their faces. Thranduil and Legolas choked a bit on their fruit and Luin-gil bowed her head down, slightly pink. "What did I say?"  
  
"Nothing," Thranduil coughed. "Nothing of importance."  
  
"Then why did all of you start at my last comment?" Gimli asked. Everyone stayed silent until Luin-gil put her head up with a kind smile.  
  
"Master Gimli, as one of the Walkers, I feel it safe to assume that your eyes are not easily deceived and that you judge well the beauty of your own kind, but by the eyes of the Elves I am not beautiful," she explained casually.  
  
"What? Not beautiful? Why?" Gimli asked indignant.  
  
"Well for one thing, I am rounder than the she-elves of Mirkwood. Mostly, they are slender and athletically built. I am not. That's the smaller reason. The real reason is because of skin colour. I have a much darker tone than ANY elf. It is strange and different and causes discomfort from my kind when they see me," she replied, showind her hand's golden tone.  
  
"That has to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard!" Gimli explained. "Such elven vanity that you are put away by elves because of your skin color. Orc meat if you ask me."  
  
"It is not elven vanity but tradition and culture," Legolas said, looking apologetically at his father for such comments from the dwarf.  
  
"It IS elven vanity though. She is shunned by our kind because she looks different even though her skills and personality I would take over most she- elves I know," Leuthil said. "And it's not like she's hideous."  
  
"Please, let's not start..." Luin-gil tried to stop the heated argument between the three elves that have taken her in but she was ignored.  
  
"Those are harsh judgements made on Elves, Leuthilalren," Thranduil said in a low voice. "Harsh judgements that such a young elf should be making."  
  
"Well, judgements placed on Luin-gil are harsh judgements themselves," Leithwen intervened. "Judgements not rightly made by ANY elf, young OR old."  
  
Legolas and Gimli just sat back stunned. It seemed like this was an argument that was many times repeated before. It was the two children versus the father. Legolas looked at them, strangely. It was as if this fight had been going on for years though he's only been gone for about a little over than one. And such a riff to be made by a stranger! Legolas was confused beyond help... and felt quite left out.  
  
"No more arguments... please!" Luin-gil interrupted, standing up. She looked at Legolas, contritely. "I am sorry, my prince and master elf. I did not mean to cause any tension at the dinner table." She turned to Gimli. "Shall you be waiting the night out in the palace, sir?"  
  
"If it's not too much trouble, yes."  
  
"You're welcome to stay as long as possible, Gimli," Thranduil sighed turning away from his verbal opponents.  
  
"Then, I shall prepare your rooms. Yours shall be adjacent to Prince Legolas' room for your convenience. If there's anything else that any of you might need, please do not hesitate to call for me." With that she exited out of the room, leaving it silent and tense.  
  
!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!  
  
"What was that about?" Legolas asked Leuthil as they walked towards the chambers upstairs after dinner. Gimli has waited with Thranduil to chat.  
  
"What was WHAT about, brother?" Leuthil asked innocently.  
  
"At the dinner table... Who is that she-elf, truly?" Leuthil turned away with a mixture of wistfulness and anger in his eyes. Legolas can only guess which emotion was targeted towards.  
  
"That is not my story to tell, Legolas. I am under instructions not to reveal her history to anyone, especially you." Leuthil frowned. "I don't know why you in particular."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes," Leuthil replied. "All I can say is she is an elf that should be better known before any conclusions can be made of her."  
  
"You have grown wise, younger brother," Legolas said after a silent moment. They had reached his chamber and after a brief nod, Leuthil turned to his own room down the hall.  
  
Legolas undressed and looked into the bathing room to see that the tub was filled with steaming water perfumed in different herbs and covered in bubbles. He slipped into the tub and thought back to his welcome back into his home.  
  
Luin-gil seemed to be an intriguing character. Only time could would tell what conclusions could be made from her... Then his thoughts drifted to what his brother had said.  
  
""I am under instructions not to reveal her history to anyone, especially you.""  
  
"Why me? What have I to do with a stranger?" Legolas asked softly, before reclining his head and relaxing in the warm waters around him.  
  
AN// Please Review! I'll love you always if you do. *grin* Just bear with me here okay? And I'll updates asaIc, I promise. 


	4. Morning Light

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Luin, Leuthilalren and Leithwen.  
  
Chapter 04: Morning Light  
  
"Turn off the light," Legolas grumbled from his own niche of the palace caves, hiding underneath the thin blankets of his bed. Like it was of any use really against the morning light? Legolas' room was one of the best and largest in the maze of caves, facing east towards the rising sun. Legolas could remember, however vaguely, how he loved waking up with the sun shining its rays from the sky and into his room but things changed and now he wanted to shoot the sun down from its rise. And, either way, he distinctly remembered turning the drapes so that he wouldn't be bothered with it in the morning.  
  
"I'm sorry, heru en amin, but the king has requested you awaken," a female voice said. A shadow danced between the light and Legolas and stopped over him. "Your highness?" A hand went to his shoulder, shaking him slightly. "Highness, amin hiraetha but you must awaken. The king has ordered it."  
  
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," Legolas muttered burrowing farther into the silk sheets. The elleth laughed.  
  
"Highness, you must wake," she said again, this time resorting to poking Legolas in his side resulting only in a grunt from the sleeper. Legolas heard a sigh and felt the bed shift as the elleth sat down on it, facing the windows. "Come, Hir nin. 'Tis a beautiful day. Must you really waste it in bed?"  
  
Legolas sneaked a peek over the blankets and saw the elleth that served him the night before. Luin-gil, he remembered her name was. "Damn, you morning elf," he grumbled seeing her smile at him, wide awake.  
  
"Actually," she started, smiling just a fraction wider in amusement. "I abhor waking up in the mornings. Probably, if I had your room, I would be curled under the covers, the drapes drawn so deep in my dreams I would be dead to reality. My master, known to you as your father, IS a morning ellon and so I have to be as well."  
  
"Yes..." Legolas said sympathetically. He remembered the early mornings he has suffered when he was a child. He could definitely feel for Luin-gil.  
  
"Well, either way... I AM sorry for waking you but your father wishes to know you are out and about," she said standing up.  
  
"It's all right," he sighed. In the clear light, he could see what it was about Luin-gil that caused such a stir. Legolas did not want to sound like a snob or superficial but the elleth before him truly did not hold the universal grace bestowed upon the elven kind. She was quite plain in the eyes of the elves and definitely darker than any elf he'd seen. Not that she wasn't pretty... She just wasn't beautiful.  
  
Luin-gil, feeling the common scrutiny she fell under, just waited patiently for the prince to finish. She stood there her hands held together in front of her, barely shifting her weight. Calmly and silently, she waited until Legolas realized that he was staring at her. Legolas was about to apologize for the rudeness when she cut him off with the raise of her hand.  
  
"It's all right," she smiled, sadly, repeating his own words towards her. "I'm quite used to it." She took a step back, bowing her head to hide the frown and looked up again, her cheerful mask securely fastened before her. "Is there anything you might like me to do?"  
  
"I thought you were my father's servant," Legolas stated, slipping out of his bed and revealing that he only had leggings on.  
  
Luin-gil blushed, seeing the perfection blessed upon the prince. Her own natural inclination towards ellyn were usually suppressed, but physically Legolas was the complete opposite of how she was held in comparison to the elven standard of beauty. Slim, lithe, smooth skin covering muscles made for a very wonderful analogy that Luin-gil couldn't help but smirk at as it passed her thoughts. Her eyes traveled down the smooth white chest of her prince only thinking of the phrase velvet on steel.  
  
"N.... No," she stammered. "I mean, I was but I've been reassigned to you."  
  
"What happened to Elda?" Legolas asked of his previous servant.  
  
"She's sailed to the west," she answered. Legolas paused for a second. "About a month after you went to to Imladris, your highness."  
  
"Oh..." Legolas scratched his head, at a loss to why this bit of news was striking a chord in him again. It was like the night before when he witnessed Leuthilalren, Leithwen and Thranduil fighting over something he knew so little of when he used to know everything that went on in his palace home.  
  
"... Is there anything you needed?" Luin-gil repeated again. It wasn't like she really wanted to leave. By all means, let her stare at Legolas all day and she would have been satisfies, but Thalinar, the elleth closest to the position of Lady of the house since Thranduil's wife had sailed was strict and stern at those who skived off their chores even when under the authority of the prince.  
  
"No..." Legolas waved her off as he walked to a chair where a tunic hung. She nodded silently and began to walk out of the room when she turned suddenly remembering a message Thranduil had given her earlier.  
  
"Oh! Before I forget!" Luin-gil called Legolas out of his trance as he stared at the palace grounds for the first time in too long. He turned away and to Luin-gil. "There is to be a ball tonight held in honour of your return. Your father asked me to inform you of it."  
  
"Of course," Legolas nodded. Luin-gil smiled and made a little wave as she began to walk backwards towards the door. She was about to turn towards the exit when it opened quickly, the wood lightly knocking her on the nose and stumbling backwards.  
  
"Did I hit something?" Gimli asked as he strode into the room. His eyes caught Luin-gil rubbing her nose lightly and he realized what he must have done. "Luin-gil! Did I just... I'm sorry. Are you hurt!?" Luin-gil made a face, something of a cross between a smile and a grimace, and shook her head.  
  
"It's okay... No permanent damage," she answered, her amusement tickling her voice. Her eyes looked up and saw Legolas, grinning widely. "I'll just be... uh.. I'm leaving now," she laughed, finally exiting the room, her hand still clutching her nose.  
  
Legolas finally let out the laugh he was holding for the sake of etiquette. Gimli shot him a glare before beginning to rant and rave about his accomadations the night before. Legolas' laughter died down and his sight went to the outsides now. A somber thought occurred to him as he looked at the elves scrambling from one place to another. Most he recognized but other he couldn't name. He saw some old friends passing along with new ones and he realized his thoughts were quite sobering.  
  
"You look like someone orc just bit your arse, Legolas. What is it?" Gimli asked, reading the seriousness in his friend's face.  
  
"I just realized..." Legolas murmured, sadly. "Life went on without me." 


	5. Plastic

**AN}--** I now return... See with the end of a holiday, I'm sort of steaming nonstop and I get really good at updating... unfortunately, it doesn't last very long. Yet again, I apologize for long waits, and short chapters but this is the best I can do with the more than half-dozen stories I'm currently working on right now.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 05:**

Gimli decided to stay one more night since the ball in honour of his friend would be held and he wanted to attend. Anyway, the palace of the House of Mirkwood was something to behold. Gimli had thought that since Legolas was alwas so uncomfortable underground and most comfortable in the trees that the Mirkwood palace would resemble a bit of the talans he'd seen in Lothlorien. He was pleased and surprised, however, when he found the palace a labyrinth of caves on the face of a mountain cliff, right by the Forest River. Mind you, the caves did not delve as deep into the mountain as those of Dwarves but the ElvenKing's halls were still beautifully made and more brightly lit.

"Not to offend, Legolas, but I can not believe that woodland elves could make such beautiful halls," Gimli grunted as they walked down a corridor leading to the outside, where the ball was taking place.

"That is because we only aided in its making," Legolas explained, amused at the Dwarf's approving and awestruck glance at his home. "It was intially made by Dwarves... Your ancestors, I believe, back in friendlier days between elves and yourself." Gimli looked up and Legolas smiled down at him, knowing what the other was thinking. If they had it their way, those friendly days between Dwarf and Elf would be rekindled sometime in the near future.

They arrived, in good time, to the ball and both Walkers were greeted by the elves with applause and ovation. Gimil blushed the rusty beard of his chin and Legolas just smiled and waved gracefully at the crowd. His father was immediately at their side.

"Mellyn-nin!" the king began. "Your prince... My son has returned to the safety of Mirkwood..." The crowd cheered loudly and Legolas smiled, modestly. "He has fought through many battles and fought the evil that had long befallen our forest... Now, it is a time of change... With Prince Legolas' return... This ball.. This NIGHT shall signify the beginning of our journey back to our home's proper name: Greenwood the Great."

The Eldalie cheered and the king signaled the musicians to resume their playing. Legolas and Gimli took up seats on the table and began to converse as they ate the food. A goblet of wine was in front of both and they sipped it merrily, enjoying themselves.

"This wine is very strong," Gimli commented. Legolas winced as well and put the goblet down.

"Yes... A little TOO strong, given I haven't really drank any since I've left Imladris... I don't think I'll have anymore," he laughed, putting the goblet aside.

Thranduil, then, joined the two but somehow the conversation seemed to involve the king and the dwarf more and more... and Legolas, less and less. Soon Gimli and Thranduil were laughing at jokes that Legolas missed or didn't understand. The feeling of being left behind swept through him again and he looked around his brother and sister. They were occupied as well, however.

Leithwen was busy with some of the elvish scholars visiting Mirkwood. Leuthilalren was dancing with Luin-gil, whom all other ignored. Legolas spied how Leuthilalren seemed to be so enchanted by Luin-gil and he took note in his mind to have a bit of talk with his brother. Legolas knew that this obvious infatuation he had with this elleth was not to be and needed to be ended soon. What would the other think?! The younger prince... courting the outcast of northern Mirkwood! It would be a scandal, to be sure. He was about to go and separate the two when several ellyth came upon him.

"Oh, my prince! We're so happy that you've returned," an elleth he knew in passing as Nibiniel. Her friend, Dimien, was giggling beside her, looking up blushingly at the prince.

"As am I," Legolas said, kindly. He took a look up at his brother and Luin-gil and found them on a log, laughing and talking. Others were pointing and gossiping amongst themselves but the two didn't seem to notice. He made a move to walk towards them but Nibiniel stopped him.

"Surely, you do not mean to leave us yet," Nibiniel murmured, her hand stroking his forearm.

"I really have something to attend to..."

"Not right now, of course!" Dimien intervened, her hand on his other arm. Legolas rolled his eyes and he felt the old prince lessons he had when he was younger and frowned. He REALLY did NOT want to stay but his old habits taught him that he could not deny the company of an elleth who wished it and now there were TWO.

They began to engage him in conversation and he felt himself drawing into a shell... finding that all these two elves could talk about were themselves and who had taken whom to their bed. They were so.... shallow... His head began to pound at their petty words and he took a sip of his wine to try and ease the pain.... He found that not only did it ease the pain... The high-pitched voices of Nibiniel and Dimien were dumbed down and he found them more tolerable. He sipped again, knowing that it wasn't very wise to drinking so much... but he took a drink again... and another... and another...

* * *

**AN}—** And here is another chapter to this story! I can't believe I'm updating... haha... the fact that I updated this story... OR Prophecy at all!! is a friggin' MIRACLE... Now, I must get to the others I have forgotten as well. =) Please Review!! 


	6. Over By a Thread

Chapter 06: Over by a Thread

The pounding light was there again. Damn it! Why must the sun be so damn bright? And if the light footsteps were any indication, the outcasted elleth was there again as well.

"I've been called up to wake you again, heru-nín," Luin-gil murmured, putting a hand on a bare shoulder, the only thing visible of the prince beneath the pillows and sheets.

"Are you my permanent handmaiden now or something?" Legolas growled from under the pillow. He shook her hand away from his shoulder and, without even looking, he could feel the frown gracing her face. If he was slightly more sober, he would have wondered how he could perceive such subtle expressions from her. Unfortunately, his attention was on his throbbing head.

"I've been assigned to your post for an indefinite period of time... Since Elda left, I was left with many of her chores. You happen to be one of them."

"I'm NOT a chore," Legolas snapped.

"Of course, heru-nín. I apologize for that implication..." she murmured. Luin-gil was still frowning, however. The place was a mess and would take hours to clean up. There were broken glass bottles and food everywhere. She couldn't understand how such chaos could have been made within twelve hours and she began to clean up.

"Get out," Legolas ordered. "I don't want you cleaning." He had heard her shuffling around the room, picking things up and tutting at the different messes of his usually immaculate chamber.

"Cleaning is my job, heru-nín. I have to or I get no pay to feed myself," she answered, her thoughts bitter but her tone patient.

"You don't even need to feed your self anymore," Legolas huffed. "You're fat enough as it is." The hand that was cleaning some glass clenched and the shards ripped through her skin easily.

"You may be a prince but your father and his orders outrank you," Luin-gil hissed. "If he has said to clean after you, then clean I shall." She shook her hand and quickly wrapped the hand with a rip from her dress. She could still feel shards in the cut but she would have to ignore it for now.

Silence met her and she just shook her head, praying to the Valar that her patience would outlast this prince's hangover.

"The king would also like to remind you that Lord Gimli is staying another night and would like you to give our guest a tour of the palace..."

"Whatever suits him," Legolas grunted, ignoring the stench of her blood.

Luin-gil closed her eyes, counting slowly to three before taking a step towards the door.

"I take my leave, heru en amin," Luin-gil forced through gritted teeth.

"Good..." Legolas felt the breeze of the doors slamming shut so he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again.

* * *

"Bastard... that's what he is, Thalinar," Luin-gil muttered. "The nerve of that boy."

"Well, 'tis true Legolas has his dark sides, but nothing like you describe," Thalinar tutted as she cleansed Luin-gil's wound of foreign objects. "He's a bit arrogant sometimes... Maybe lacks a bit of tact but not rude."

"He was rude..." Luin-gil stared at her wound... Glowered more like. "Flat out called me fat... If that's not disrespect, I don't know what is." As soon as her palm and fingers were bandaged, she snapped it out of Thalinar's hand. "At least, leave me the bloody dignity of being talked about BEHIND my back. Don't actually say it in front of me!"

"Maybe he's having a bad day?" Thalinar suggested. "He was drinking quite a lot last night."

"Humph," Luin-gil scoffed. "Some prince... drunk enough to drink his dwarvish friend under the table... Now that DWARF was more likable. How the prince managed to acquaint himself with such a good creature is beyond my comprehension." She studied her hand for a second and looked up. "I have more things to get to. Thank you for tending me."

"Of course, Luin-gil."

* * *

It wasn't just the outsiders who noticed the amount of alcohol Legolas drank but Legolas himself. It was strange. For once, his dreams didn't haunt him. Nightmares, more like. He hadn't told anyone about the nightmares.

How he saw his comrades one after the other...

How many elves had met their maker right before his very eyes...

The Pain... The Suffering... The torments that the One Ring had wreaked on his psyche.

The One Ring was gone but the doubts and insecurities he had felt then still echoed in him. He knew that the world was somuch happier now but to empty, shriveled daze in Frodo's eyes would keep with him forever.

The wine had erased it all... Even for a night... And though it still caused his head to pound, Legolas would have taken that pain in exchange for the pain in his memories. Hmm... Another round for me, then, thanks.

* * *

AN)) Done!! Review if you can PLEASE! This chapter is proof that reviewing spurs me to updating! I just got a review for this and now I worked on it and I wrote a chapter! Yay!!


	7. Forbidden :new:

AN—Holy crap, I'm here again!!

Chapter 07:

Legolas had successfully evaded basically any elf or dwarf that was within respectable distance. High and hidden in the branches of a beech tree, he was safe from eyes and words that he would much rather live without. Especially those two elves, he'd met the night before blithering on about what they didn't know.

Taking a piece of bread from his basket of food, he leaned back and watched the distant archery range. It was clear in his sight and he'd been watching elf after elf take to the range and shoot arrows into the even farther targets. It was repetitive but strangely calming. After the months he'd been away, something so natural and routine was unusual for Legolas but the sun was near setting. The archers were leaving one by one and a steady stream was exiting the range except for a strange couple coming in to enter it. Putting down his food, Legolas began to leap from tree to tree, curious to who would be practiving archery in the dark.

"… The boy fell! Only elf I've ever seen trip and serves the arrogant one right!" Gimli quipped.

"I don't think I can really picture Legolas falling," Luin-gil laughed lugging along her old bow and their own basket of food as Gimli, since he had persisted in doing so, carried the (bag) of arrows.

"Yes, well he can… Little bugger had the nerve to laugh when I fell off the horse. What goes around comes around I say," Gimli grumbled.

The mention of his fall made Luin-gil laugh harder.

Legolas could hear it clear into the branches of the wood that surrounded the clear field. He frowned that they were laughing at his expense and just kept listening to their conversation.

"Why are you shooting arrows as everyone leaves? Shouldn't you socialize?" Gimli asked not so subtle in his hints.

"I've told you once before and I am quite dismayed that you must force me to say it again," Luin-gil groaned, sitting on a bench as Gimli set down the arrows. "I'm not welcome. I'm not invited. I'm not one of the beautiful, ethereal elves. I look for human than elf and people think I'm strange." She picked up an arrow and set it on her fingers and putting her eye on the target.

"Ever considered the possibility that you might have human lineage? Like my friend, Aragorn… Good man. Dunedain. A bit too broody for my taste however…"

"Not a drop of my blood is human, which makes me even stranger. Oh, I've met Aragorn before and he was a bit tense when I came across him." Luin-gil pulled the string taut and then released it. She was aiming for the nearest target about a hundred yards off and the arrow had flown that distance… missing terribly to the right. "It was a bit before the prince was called to Imladris."

Luin-gil barely even frowned at her horrible aiming while Legolas was snickering smugly in his seat at the trees. The girl was god-awful in archery. He didn't think he even ever missed that badly when he had begun at a young age.

"That was pretty bad," Gimli commented.

"I'm terrible. I don't know why I keep doing this." She released another arrow and this time it hit the target's left edge. "I think it's because I like to make myself believe I can change this about myself when everything else is so bloody frustrating…"

"May I try?" Gimli asked.

"Gimli, I'm afraid my bow is far too big for your stature," Luin-gil smiled.

"Child, do you think that matters?" He snatched te bow and attempted to release an arrow without any advice from the elleth.

"Are you trying to make me feel better about my lack of archery skills?" Luin-gil laughed when the arrow flew a few feet and dropped like a rock.

"It was an attempt," Gimli said, a laugh hidden under his beard.

"And you succeeded in it with flying colors."

Legolas rolled his eyes, then saw his younger brother entering the range. He remembered his words last night. (He wouldn't admit it was one of the few things he COULD remember.) He needed to take his princely responsibilities to shoulder and put an end to this silly infatuation.

"Leutilalaren!" Legolas called from across the range, jumping down from the tree. The young elf looked up, briefly and waved over Legolas as he stopped beside Luin-gil.

"My prince, your family has been looking for you all day… especially the master dwarf," Luin-gil murmured, her head bowing softly.

"Well, he seemed to be doing fine without me," Legolas snapped. Luin-gil stepped back, pursing her lips at the insult that was about to escape them. "Brother, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at supper?"

"Well, so are you… But I've finished my meal and have come to spend sometime with Luin-gil and Gimli. Gimli had gone searching for you and had asked for Luin's company… They ended up on a tour of the grounds… Now I've come to join them," Leuthilalren grinned. "And of course, I've come to pay my respect to Luin's applaudable skill at the bow." He was hit upside the head so fast, Legolas almost missed Luin-gil's hand.

"That's not funny," she muttered under her breath though a laugh was evident in her tone.

"That hurt," Leutilalren whined. Gimli chuckled and Legolas just glowered. Luin-gil and Leuthilalren have obviously bonded beyond measure if they could joke about in such a way.

"Obviously, I'm not needed here… It's already party without my presence and I wouldn't even dream of ruining it," Legolas growled.

"No… Legolas, please… Come join us…" Leuithilalren pleaded. "It'll be fun."

"No…" Legolas replied. He turned and went for the forest again, ignoring the tense silence he left behind. He knew he should have been heading for the castle. It was already so late and his father would be furious but he found himself staring into the darkness until he heard the sound of tinkling laughter, music and glasses being passed around.

It was a merry-making circle. The shadows danced in the elves' faces, hiding their identity and a skin filled with wine was being poured liberally. Legolas remebered the memories again. And he remembered that he didn't have to think about it when the sweet liquid had flowed in his blood. Grabbing a glass, he went to elleth holding a skin.

"I'd like some…"

* * *

Ahh!! She updated! 'Tis a miracle! Review please! 


End file.
